Machine for beading and flanging sheet metal.



W. A. SYLVESTER. mom FOR BEADING AND PLANGING snsm METAL. APPLICATIONFILED 00T.11,-1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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T7 2 MIL I 525L 3510/ W E w. A. SYLVESTER. MACHINE FOR'BEADING ANDPLANGING SHEET METAL.

APPLIOLTIOH FILED OCT: 11, 1909- 9745204. Patented Nov 1,1910.

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RUTLBER A. SYLVESTER, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIoNoR T0 CHARLES 3.WILSON,

or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR BEADING AND FLANGING SHEET METAL.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VVILBER A. SYLvns'rER, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of 'Wayne andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Beading and Flanging Sheet Metal, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

The invention relates to the manufacture of articles from sheet metalof-relatively heavy gage, such, for instance, as the bodies ofautomobiles.

It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction by which thesheet metal blanks may be beaded in either straight or curved lines, andin conformity to an exact pattern.

It is also an object to avoid'kinking or destroying any portion of theblank, and to dispense with the necessity for any particular skill onthe part of the workmen.

lVith these objects in View, the invention consists in the constructionas hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine showing theworkholder and work in engagement therewith; Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe workholder, with the work therein, indicated in dotted lines; Fig. 3is an end elevation of Fig. 2; Fig. at is a section on line X X, Fig. 2,showing a modification; Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified form. ofthe workholder; Fig. 6 is an. end elevation thereof; Fig. 7 is anenlarged elevation ofthe forming rolls; and Fig. 8 is a similar view ofa modified construction.

A and B are two parallelly-arranged rotating spindles upon which theforming rollers are mounted. These forming rollers consist of a member Cmounted on the spindle A, which has the grooved or concave portion Dfashioned to produce the form of bead desired, and E is a cooperatingforming roll. mounted on the'shaft B, and having a convex face Fcomplementary to the face D.

With the construction thus far described, it is evident that if thesheet metal blank be engaged with the rolls G and E, and drawntherebetween, a head will be formed corresponding to the shape of themeeting faces of said rolls. If, however, the bead is to Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed October 11, 1909.

The guide consists of a flange H,

Serial No. 522,132.

be formed adjacent to one edge of the blank, as is usual, considerableforce is necessary to hold the blank in proper engagement with therolls. This is for the reason that the metal is of heavy gage, and as aconsequence it is practically impossible to obtain the regularly rolledhead by merely guiding the work by hand. To avoid this difiiculty, Ihave provided a construction of workholder G which also forms a templetand guide for the feed-forming mechanism. preferably an angle bar,secured to the holder G, which flange engages with a groove I in theroll C. This groove I is preferably located in the portion of the rolladjacent to the outer edge of the portion D, and the arrangement is suchthat when the work is fed between the rolls the flange H will engagesaid groove, and will be held thereby from lateral movement. Thus, bymaking the flange H of the form into which the bead is to be fashioned,it will compel the workholder, and blank secured therein, to travel in aparallel direction.

The holder may be of any suitable construction to which the work may berigidly clamped. As illustrated in 2, this holder is provided with anumber of hinged clamping fingers J, which extend into engagement withthe opposite edges of the work, and are clamped thereto by screw clampsK. The width of the holder G is less than that of the blank, so as toleave the marginal portion, which is to be headed, exposed, eX- ceptingfor the hinged fingers J, which extend thereacross. However, when thework is being performed, the fingers J, upon the side in engagement withthe rolls, are turned back, and the clamping is effected solely byengagement at the opposite edge of the blank. After one edge of theblank has been beaded, the fingers J are rengaged with this edge, andthe clamps K are shifted in position, so as to secure the work at thefinished edge and permit of turning back the clamps J at the edge to befinished.

With the construction as described, in operation the workmensuccessively engage the blanks with the holders G, and while inengagement therewith they thenfeed them between the rolls O and E. Theflange H will cause the automatic guiding of the work until the ends ofthe blanks are reached, after which the hinged fingers J Patented Nov.1, 1910.

and clamps K are adjusted, as previously 1 hinged fingers adapted toalternatively endescribed, and the bead is rolled upon the oppositeedges of the blanks.

\Vhen it is desired to turn a flange, such as L, upon the edge of thework, the roll C is provided with a flange M having a tapering face.This will cause the turning down of the flange L, simultaneously withthe operation of forming the bead, while the flange H will hold the workfrom movement longitudinally of the roll.

In the beading of the seat back for automobile bodies, it is frequentlydesired to form beads, not only upon the upper and lower edges of theblank, but also a central. bead substantially in the plane of the seat.For this class of work, it is necessary to provide the modifiedconstruction of workholder, illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the mainportion G is arranged between the lower and central bead in the work,and is secured thereto in the manner previously described. After thelower and central beads have been formed, an auxiliary workholdersection G is arranged above the sections G and is secured thereby byclamps K, which' engage the upper flange H of the section G and acorresponding flange H on the section G. This will firmly secure thesections G in position and permit of form ing the bead along the upperedge by engaging a marginal guide flange H with the groove I in theforming roll.

It is necessary to hold the sheet metal firmly in contact with theworkholder to prevent buckling of the latter, and. for this purpose, Ihave provided clamps N which are arranged on the portions of the holdercorresponding to the sides of the vehicle seat. These clamps consist ofhooked portions 0, which engage the edge of the blank and are connectedat their oppositeends to toggle levers P by the operation of which thehooks may be drawn back to force the work into firm contact with theholder.

hat. I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a forming roll, of a workholder provided withguides having a flange and groove engagement with said roll and adaptedto receive a substan tially U-shaped sheet metal blank, and clamps forengaging the opposite ends of the U and forcing the blank into firmcontact with the holder.

2. The combination with a forming roll, of a workholder for engaging thework so as to expose the opposite edges thereof, and a hinged finger forsaid workholder for engaging one of the edges of the Work andpositioning the same in said holder.

3. The combination with a forming roll, of a workholder for engaging thework so as to expose the opposite edges thereof, and

gage the opposite edges of the wor: to position the same in the holderand adapted to leave one edge of the work unobstructed for engagementwith the forming roll.

4. The combination with a forming roll, of a workholder engaging thework so as to expose the mar inal portions thereof, guide flanges onsaid holder adjacent to the opposite edges thereof, a finger hinged tosaid holder and a bent portion for passing over said guide flanges and ahook for engaging the edge of the work, and a clamp for securing saidfinger to the work.

5. The combination with a forming roll, of a workholder formed in aplurality of sections, each provided with marginal guide flanges forengagement with said forming roll, means for positioning one of saidsections upon the work and for securing the same thereto, and means forsecuring another section to the first-mentioned section.

6. The combination with a workholder, a marginal guide thereon, meansfor clamping the work in said holder with a portion projecting beyondthe holder and said marginal guide, and a forming roll adapted to engagethe projecting portion of the work having a flange and groove engagementwith said marginal guide.

7. The combination with a workholder, a marginal guide thereon, meansfor clamping the work in said holder with a portion projecting beyondthe holder on said marginal guide, a forming roll adapted to engage theproject-ing portion of the work having a flange and groove engagementwith said marginal guide, and an annular flange on said roll for turninga flange at the edges of the work.

8. The combination with a workholder, a marginal guide thereon, meansengaging the opposite edges of the work for forcing the latter into firmcontact with the holder with a portion of the work projecting beyond theholder and said marginal guide, and a forming roll having a flange andgroove engagement with said marginal guide.

9. The combination with a workholder, a marginal guide thereon, meansfor clamping the work in said holder with a portion proj ecting beyondthe holder and said marginal guide, a forming roll adapted to engage theprojecting portion of the work, and means engaging said guide for feedmgthe work through said roll in a predetermined path.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVILBER A. SYLVESTER.

Witnesses:

HARRY IV. GRAHAM, NELLIE KINsnLLA.

